Ballot counting for constitutional amendments referendum begins

CAIRO – 22 April 2019: Ballot counting for a referendum on 14 amendments to the Egyptian constitution began late on Monday after polling stations nationwide closed their doors.

The National Election Authority announced results of the voting process would be announced shortly after ending three-day voting.

Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson of NEA Judge Mahmoud Helmy Sherif stated that the turnout was high, and that no complaints regarding the referendum process were submitted so far.

The referendum is observed by 22 international organizations and entities including 14 embassies, the European Union, and the Arab League. That is in addition to 58 local organizations.

The new amendments would increase the presidential term from four to six years, allocate 25 percent of parliamentary seats to women, re-introduce the Shura Council and reinstate the vice president post.

The referendum voting was being conducted in 10,878 polling stations and 13,919 committees, while the number of judges supervising the referendum is about 20,000, assisted by some 120,000 employees.

President Sisi was first elected president in 2014 after a popular uprising that sacked the Muslim Brotherhood regime. He was re-elected last year in a landslide victory where he secured 97 percent of the vote.